The Customs Department seized a total of 511 tusks, weighing 3.1 tonnes and worth Bt200 million, from a Laos-bound container at a private company’s bonded warehouse on Saturday.It was initially declared as containing 11 tonnes of tea, Customs chief Somchai Sujjapongse said. Thai officials’ checking the container discovered the tusks among the tea leaves and seized them for legal action, he said.
Dapong praised this and the department’s previous ivory bust which also seized 4 tonnes of African tusks on April 18. Dapong said Thai authorities had asked for co-operation from neighbouring countries to tackle the ivory trade. Police would now probe the origin of the tusks to try to catch traders and smugglers.
Previous data from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has shown that Thailand – and Laos – are major transit points for African ivory to other countries.
Officials to inspect declared ivory
In a separate measure to curb the trade and smuggling and create a vast database, Thai authorities have urged all ivory collectors to register ivory items in their possession. A deadline ended last week.
The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department concluded that 38,003 ivory collectors had reported 200 tonnes of ivory products in their possession worth Bt10 billion. Officials will soon inspect these items, which will take a further two to three months to do.
